Significado
To stay awake all night, often due to worry or activity.
Contexto cultural
In Brazil, 'passar a noite em claro' is often associated with 'corujão' (the big owl). It's common to see people using this phrase on Monday mornings at the office to bond over a shared lack of sleep. In Portugal, the phrase can have a more poetic or melancholic tone, often appearing in Fado lyrics to describe a lover waiting for their partner or mourning a loss. In Luanda, staying awake might be linked to social gatherings or 'farras' (parties). However, 'passar em claro' remains the standard way to describe the physical state of not sleeping. Similar to other Lusophone countries, it is used in both formal and informal contexts, often in news reports regarding people waiting in lines for services.
Use it for empathy
If a friend looks tired, asking 'Você passou a noite em claro?' shows you care and understand their struggle.
Don't pluralize 'claro'
Even if you spent 'muitas noites' (many nights), it is always 'em claro', never 'em claros'.
Significado
To stay awake all night, often due to worry or activity.
Use it for empathy
If a friend looks tired, asking 'Você passou a noite em claro?' shows you care and understand their struggle.
Don't pluralize 'claro'
Even if you spent 'muitas noites' (many nights), it is always 'em claro', never 'em claros'.
Regional nuance
If you are in Portugal, try using 'fazer uma direta' for a more local feel when talking about staying up for a party.
Teste-se
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb 'passar'.
Ontem eu _______ a noite em claro porque estava calor.
The word 'Ontem' (yesterday) requires the past tense (Pretérito Perfeito) for 'eu'.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Select the correct option:
'Em claro' is a fixed expression and does not change to match the feminine 'noite'.
Match the reason with the sentence.
If someone says 'Passei a noite em claro' because of a 'prova', what were they doing?
'Prova' means exam, so the most likely activity is studying.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Por que você está bocejando (yawning)? B: Porque eu _______.
Yawning is a sign of tiredness, which matches staying awake all night.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Recursos visuais
Banco de exercicios
4 exerciciosOntem eu _______ a noite em claro porque estava calor.
The word 'Ontem' (yesterday) requires the past tense (Pretérito Perfeito) for 'eu'.
Select the correct option:
'Em claro' is a fixed expression and does not change to match the feminine 'noite'.
If someone says 'Passei a noite em claro' because of a 'prova', what were they doing?
'Prova' means exam, so the most likely activity is studying.
A: Por que você está bocejando (yawning)? B: Porque eu _______.
Yawning is a sign of tiredness, which matches staying awake all night.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Perguntas frequentes
5 perguntasIt is neutral. You can use it with friends, family, or even in a professional email to explain an absence or delay.
Yes, but 'virar a noite' is more common for fun events. 'Passar em claro' often carries a slight connotation of tiredness or effort.
In Portuguese, 'claro' refers to the light. 'Branco' (white) is used in French and Spanish, but in Portuguese, 'passar em branco' means something was forgotten.
You can say 'passar uma noite' (a night) or 'passar a noite' (the night). Both are correct, but 'a noite' is more common when referring to last night.
Yes, it implies you didn't sleep at all. If you slept for 4 hours, it's better to say 'dormi pouco' (I slept little).
Frases relacionadas
Virar a noite
similarTo stay up all night (usually intentional).
Dormir com as galinhas
contrastTo go to bed very early.
Não pregar o olho
synonymTo not close one's eyes for a second.
Fazer uma direta
synonymTo go straight through the night without sleeping.
